1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic paper feed device that automatically separates and transports stacked plural sheets of paper. The present invention also relates to an image reading apparatus and an image forming apparatus, both including the automatic paper feed device.
2. Description of the Related Art
JP-A-8-290835 describes an automatic paper feed device. This device uses a separation and transport mechanism to separate and transport multiple sheets of paper that are stacked and placed in a placement unit.
Paper is thin, and easily bends downwardly due to its own weight. Generally, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, paper is often placed in a placement unit 19a in a condition in which the paper is bent to form an arched shape that is downwardly convex so that the bending rigidity of the paper may be increased. This makes it difficult to bend the paper in a direction perpendicular to the bend of the arched shape.
However, when the paper is bent in an arched shape and placed in the placement unit, sometimes both ends in the width direction of the paper interfere with both longitudinal ends of a paper insertion opening 25a as shown in FIG. 11. In this case, a problem arises that the paper cannot be placed precisely in a predetermined place.
Although the above problem may be solved by sufficiently increasing the size of the paper insertion opening, another problem then arises. This problem is that the cover member, which forms the paper insertion opening and covers and protects a separation and transport mechanism, may then become unable to sufficiently cover the separation and transport mechanism.